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MANAMA: Preseason testing for the 2025 Aramco F4 ��������n Championship concluded on Friday at the Bahrain International Circuit, marking the final stage of preparations ahead of the opening race of the season this weekend.
Both of the official testing sessions were marked by excitement and intense concentration, accompanied by close technical monitoring by the participating teams. In the first session, Jacob Micallef of Team Zahid recorded the fastest lap time of 2 minutes 8.238 seconds, with an average speed of 151.9 kph, just 0.004 seconds ahead of Scott Kin Lindblom from Team Red Bull, followed by Thibaut Ramaekers, also from Team Zahid.
In the second session, driver Theo Palmer of Team JACO achieved the best time of 2 minutes 7.613 seconds, with an average speed of 152.6 kph, 0.002 seconds ahead of Kit Belofsky from Team PEAX, with Adam Alzahrani from Team Valvoline recording the third-best time.
Testing is a key milestone in preseason preparations that enables teams to evaluate the performance of their second-generation Tatuus F4-T421 cars and refine setup before racing begins. Friday’s sessions also gave drivers an invaluable opportunity to gain confidence and sharpen their racecraft under real race conditions on a technically demanding circuit known for its mix of fast straights and tight corners.
With testing complete, the 2025 Aramco F4 ��������n Championship shifts gear into race mode on Saturday and Sunday at the Bahrain International Circuit, followed by Round 2 at the same track on Oct. 15-16.
The action moves to ��������’s Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the fastest street circuit in the world, for Rounds 3 and 4 on Nov. 10-11 and Nov. 14-15, before concluding with a final round on Dec. 5-6, also in Jeddah.
The F4 ��������n Championship, part of an FIA-sanctioned, single-seater, entry-level series, aims to provide a key platform for the development of emerging motor sport talent in �������� and the wider region. The event is promoted by Altawkilat Motorsport under the supervision of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation.

RIYADH: To enhance the speed and efficiency of environmental emergency response in the Kingdom of ��������, the National Center for Environmental Compliance has launched six first-response vehicles for ecological emergencies.

These vehicles feature advanced technologies, including systems for measuring pollutants and hazardous emissions, as well as the ability to intervene in dangerous chemical incidents, while allowing teams to reach the scene as quickly as possible.

The environmental pollution vehicle is a specialized vehicle for monitoring and responding to various sources of pollution, helping to mitigate their impact on public health and the environment.

In an interview with Saad Al-Matrafi, NCEC’s executive director of media and communication and official spokesperson, he said that these vehicles use the latest advances in pollution measurement, providing accurate and immediate data on air quality and potential hazards.

He said that the vehicles will be stationed in several locations in the Kingdom, including Riyadh, the Northern Borders, Madinah, Makkah, Jazan, and the Eastern Province.

“Functioning as mobile environmental monitoring stations, the vehicles feature integrated systems for gas analysis and air quality assessment — enabling swift, data-driven responses to environmental incidents across the Kingdom,” Al-Matrafi said.

“By collecting and analyzing real-time data, it enables rapid corrective action to address environmental challenges as they arise,” he added.

The executive director demonstrated the operation of the equipment and devices available in each vehicle.

“Technicians can measure the volume of hazardous gases and monitor various types of gases, such as carbon monoxide, methane, propane, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and other gases, depending on the type of sensors selected.”

In addition, the vehicle’s emergency technicians can handle accidents and chemical and biological hazards, he said.

“All employees receive specialized training to operate these vehicles safely, including the use of gas detection equipment and protective suits, ensuring they can effectively respond to chemical, biological, and hazardous material emergencies,” Al-Matrafi said.

NCEC said that the technologies in the vehicle contribute to the rapid response and handling of any environmental emergency, thereby ensuring the community’s safety and achieving the highest standards of environmental protection.

More than 25 devices, items of protection equipment, and tools are available in NCEC’s environmental vehicles, including a measuring device used to calculate distances accurately. This product is designed to fold, making it easy to carry and store when not in use.

Another tool is the hazardous gas measuring device, which will be used to detect the presence of toxic or flammable gases in the surrounding environment, ensuring the safety of people where gas levels may be hazardous.

Additionally, there is an infrared thermometer to measure temperatures remotely, without the need for contact with the object or surface being measured.

Employees will be equipped with a sample collection and storage bag designed for hazardous materials responders, environmental agencies, military personnel, police, or forensic workers collecting samples containing chemical, biological, or radiological threats, including chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial materials, and toxins.

Another bag will be provided to transport samples from the collection site to laboratories or other locations safely and without any change to their quality.

To protect workers in hazardous environments, such as industrial plants, power plants, contaminated sites, and activities involving exposure to highly toxic materials, protective suits will be provided. Employee safety is essential to avoid contamination by hazardous substances.

Furthermore, the chemical and biological hazard-resistant suit is designed to protect people from exposure to toxic chemicals, biological contaminants, or viruses in hazardous environments.

Workers are expected to use a face mask and a filter, as the modern design of full-face masks provides extensive and well-developed cover for the face while still allowing clear vision. While the availability of various sizes ensures masks fit comfortably and securely, the face mask filter provides complete protection from toxic and chemical gases.

The Kingdom is prioritizing its sustainable development goals as a significant objective of Vision 2030. Structuring a healthier, more flourishing, and greener future through innovative interventions such as the environmental vehicle by NCEC is critical for a balanced ecosystem.